


Protective Lover

by isobel__smy



Series: Malec Advent Calendar 2017 [11]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: BAMF Alec Lightwood, BAMF Magnus Bane, Boys In Love, Christmas, Demons, Hurt Magnus Bane, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Protective Alec Lightwood, Teasing, mentioned soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-24
Updated: 2017-12-24
Packaged: 2019-02-19 12:34:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,568
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13123818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isobel__smy/pseuds/isobel__smy
Summary: The one where Magnus goes to meet a client who turns out instead to be a demon...





	Protective Lover

Magnus was exhausted. Tears stung at the corner of his eye from the deep feeling of hopelessness running through his bones, and he could feel the last stores of his magic flow out of his fingertips in red whispers. But he couldn’t stop- couldn’t even let himself one second to breath and regroup, maybe even think of a battle plan.

 

Because he was alone. (Not technically, which was the problem, but the fact was that he had no back up.) They were in a mundane restaurant, and he’d told no one where he would be. Why would he? Magnus went out and met multiple clients every single day. And many had strange requests, or demanded to meet up in an odd setting. Usually, everything was fine.

 

If only he hadn’t already used up so much energy. Magnus let a small curse escape his parted lips as the demon tried to claw at him again, draining his energy even more. His arms were growing heavier, sweat running down his forehead. A little longer, and he would collapse.

 

He’d said goodbye to Alexander, this morning. That was good. The thought was cold, and poisonous, but the demon wasn’t even starting to get tired yet, so Magnus let the thought curl around his heart like a snake. He’d said goodbye, teased him about his unsurprising clothes choice for the day, and kissed him. At least there was that.

 

Slamming a wave of magic at the demon- and barely moving it- Magnus thought about everyone else. Tessa. Catarina, Raphael… And all the people Magnus hadn’t known for long, but had become such an important part of his world so quickly. Isabelle, Clary, Simon, even Jace. He’d finished everything well with them all. No regrets.

 

Around him, the restaurant was in chaos. Chairs had been upturned as panicked mundanes saw trouble and ran, and Magnus tripped over a chair leg as he started to back away from the demon. It was over. There was absolutely nothing he could do. There was small whispers of something left inside of him, but Magnus really didn’t want to have to tap into that quite yet. Not yet. But he was going to go down fighting.

 

And then, the demon froze.

 

Its features transformed into an ugly roar of anger, as it lunged forwards and leant to grab Magnus. Magnus stumbled backwards, grabbing any random surface to make sure he stayed vertical, and the demon didn’t touch him. Instead, it disappeared and became a falling cloud of dust, with a long, black arrow with red feathers clattering to the floor alongside it.

 

Magnus took only a second to register the arrow before looking up and smiling as his saviour.

 

“Hey, honey,” Alec teased, smile playing on his lips. “I’m home.”

 

“Alexander,” Magnus replied, watching as the archer slung his bow over his shoulder and hurried over the disarray of chairs and tables and unfinished dinner towards Magnus. Everything had taken on a slightly blurry quality, and Magnus was a little concerned that the amount of magic he’d used was now affecting him, but he simply blinked to clear the image.

 

Alec had a worried frown covering his features, but he didn’t say anything as he reached Magnus and leant forward to kiss him. Alec’s lips were cool and soft, and even though Magnus’ lips only touched them for a few seconds at most, they said everything needed. _I love you, I missed you, and I’m so glad you’re safe, because I could not live without you._

 

“You okay?” As soon as Alec had pulled away, his hands were hovering over Magnus’ body. “Are you hurt? You look tired, Magnus. Are you tired? It’s because of how much magic you used. How can I help?” His boyfriend’s voice was concerned, and it sent a little thrill through Magnus. Yes, he knew Alec was different from all the others. (He’d known that from the beginning.) But, every once in awhile Alec would do something so surprising that Magnus was reminded all over again exactly how it was like to see a Shadowhunter trust a Downworlder without so much as a single thought.

 

“I’m fine,” Magnus said, because he was now. The demon was gone, and the small remains of his magic was slowly building up inside of him. It felt like a small fire had been lit, and the warmth was slowly flooding back through his body after a long day in the winter chill. “Promise. The demon didn’t really hurt me, and my magic will soon-”

 

Alec’s arms wrapped around him, crushing Magnus’ body with the strength of the surprise hug. Surprised, Magnus froze, but automatically responded to the hug, arms also wrapping about his boyfriend comfortingly. “Hey, Alec, it’s fine,” he soothed.

 

“I was worried,” was Alec’s muffled reply as he buried his head in Magnus’ shoulder. “The ring… It started to heat up, and I didn’t know what that meant at first-” The words broke off as Alec shuddered. “And then I did. I panicked. No one knew where you were, Magnus-”

 

“And here I was, thinking our rings would be mainly for me knowing if you were hurt,” Magnus said lightly, ignoring the thudding of his heart. It was true: Magnus had enchanted their rings to tell them if the other was hurt, but he’d done it so that Magnus would know about Alec’s injuries. The ring sitting on Alec’s index finger was simply so the bond was complete. (Though, of course Magnus had spent hours looking for exactly the right one.) “I’m sorry, Alec. I didn’t think this would happen…”

 

He rested his hands on Alec’s waist as the man straightened back up, wiping his eyes quickly and sending Magnus a shaky smile. “Tell someone where you are next time. Please. For me. I was so scared- and you must have been terrified, Magnus…” As he spoke, Alec gently placed a hand on Magnus’ cheek. “I’m so sorry I didn’t get here sooner.”

 

“You got here in plenty of time,” Magnus replied, leaning into his hand almost unconsciously. “Alexander-”

 

But he couldn’t think of something to say. He was at a loss for words- unable to think of anything beyond the feeling of comfort rushing through his aching body. All he wanted to do was go home and curl up in his boyfriend’s arms forever. Which, obviously, was never going to be able to happen… but Magnus was definitely going to steal the rest of the day. He was the High Warlock of Brooklyn. If he couldn’t have one afternoon off…

 

“Hey…” A pair of soft lips pressing against his forehead brought him back to the restaurant and away from his thoughts, and Magnus looked up at Alec’s warm eyes. “I’m just going clear up the place a little bit, okay? Then I can get you home. But this place looks like a disaster zone, and at least the blood needs to be gone by the time the mundanes start coming back in.”

 

Before Magnus could properly concentrate on the words; his thoughts were still only able to focus on one thing (how safe he felt in Alec’s arms,) Alec was drawing away, his hand slowly moving off his cheek. “Wait, no!” The words burst out of him just as Alec’s statement registered in his brain. “I… I have magic for that, silly.” Technically, his magic was still dangerously low, but Magnus really wanted to just go lie down with Alec by his side. If he had to add a few more hours onto his recovery time… so be it. Sometimes there were necessary evils.

 

“Magnus,” Alec’s disapproving tone was clear, and the man’s rolled eyes added to the conclusion that Magnus’ idea hadn’t impressed. “You were on the verge of collapsing for over use of your magic. Please, please don’t tell me you just suggested using more?” There was a small beat of silence, in which Magnus didn’t answer, before Alec continued quietly, “I really don’t want to lose you, Magnus. I love you.”

 

“I love you too, Alexander, but-” Magnus sighed as Alec started picking up chairs. “I really do want to just go home. The best for thing for my recovery is you to let me deplete my magic stores a little bit and then be able to go home straight away for alcohol and rest. With-” he added quickly, “someone with me. I can’t go on my own.” Technically it was true. Just not completely; Magnus may be recovering from a terrible fight, but he still knew what he wanted.

 

Alec sighed as he straightened up, rolling his back and adjusting his bow. Magnus watched him carefully, praying for the Shadowhunter to say yes despite the deeply imbedded procedures he was probably meant to go through. He just… he really wanted to go home.

 

“Fine,” Alec said, stepping towards Magnus again and pressing his lips to his cheek. “We’ll go home. But use my strength, Magnus.” His hand was already slipping into Magnus’, warm and steady and so utterly trusting of Magnus already. Just like the first time, with Luke and the other Shadowhunters, Alec didn’t even hesitate before opening himself up to Magnus completely. It still blew him away.

 

“Okay,” Magnus promised, voice a little weaker than he’d expected it to be. He blamed Alec and the man’s unwavering trust and love for Magnus, not the magic depletion; being close to collapse was survivable, but Alec was going to be the death of him. (And what an amazing death it will be.)

 

He didn’t say anything else before starting to pull on Alec’s energy. It was warmer than Magnus’ own magic; it tingled with in Magnus’ veins, mixing with Magnus’ small store and burning within him. Whenever Magnus took from Alec, (which he only ever did in emergencies,) he was always astounded at how confident and stunning even his energy was. And he’d never tell Alec, but Alec’s energy and Magnus’ magic complimented each other perfectly. _Soulmates_.

 

But Magnus stopped himself from thinking about that, reaching forwards and letting the mix of energy spread out across the room with blue tendrils. It danced across the chairs and the tables, forcing them with just a tiny touch to stand upright. Magnus- when at full strength- could summon demons or manipulate space, but there was still something thrilling about watching his magic do this.

 

“See,” Magnus smiled up at Alec, not dropping his hand but letting go of his energy. “Didn’t take long at all. And now we can go home.” The small laugh that escaped Alec’s lips was a little winded, but the smile was genuine and Magnus couldn’t help but lean up and kiss him again. “Which sounds perfect.”

 

“Walking?” Alec asked, dropping his hand. Before Magnus could feel a whisper of hurt, however, Alec had wrapped an arm around his waist, pulling them closer together. As if Magnus could fathom walking down a busy street now, when all he could concentrate on was the image of them both curling up in front of the tv.

 

“Unless you want to carry me,” Magnus teases, already drawing on his magic to draw a portal. “I’m dreadfully weak, Alexander. I couldn’t possibly walk. It is definitely best to just go through a portal.”

 

“You sure you can even walk through a portal?” Alec rolled his eyes at Magnus, half grinning as the portal appeared in front of them. “After all, you do look on the brink of collapse. Is… is that a grey hair I see?”

 

Magnus gently slapped Alec’s hand away from his hair once they were through the portal. The lights in the apartment were already on, and apparently the heating had kicked in, because it was warm. He could feel his entire body relaxing, and he could tell Alec was breathing slower too. Home.

 

“That is a mean thing to say, Lightwood,” he smiled. “And as a punishment…”

 

“Already on it,” Alec grinned back at him, squeezing his side before extracting his arm from around Magnus and walking towards the kitchen. “You go sit down, Magnus. I’ll be out in seconds.” And then he disappeared around the corner, leaving Magnus to slowly make his own way over to the couch. The coffee machine Alec was no doubt using right at that second hadn’t been something Magnus had gotten, instead it was Alec- who insisted that Magnus wasn’t always going to be around when Alec needed coffee, and when he needed coffee… he needed coffee. But now he was eternally grateful. Magnus may have used extra magic just to get here quicker, but now he was here, everything ached. He was spent.

 

Picking up the blanket from last week’s movie night with the other shadowhunters, Magnus sunk down onto the couch and leant against the cushions. All he had to do now was sit here and wait for his darling boyfriend to come and snuggle him.

 

“Hey,” Came the soft voice of said boyfriend, and Magnus smiled to himself. “I’m back.” Alec came into view, holding out Magnus’ mug. Magnus took it gratefully, holding it in both his hands and letting the warmth spread through him in a way that almost compensated for the cold left by the lack of magic. Alec carefully sat next to him, and Magnus felt as the man draped an arm around his shoulder. Adjusting himself, Magnus leant against Alec. “Miss me?”

  
“Always,” Magnus replied honestly, staring at the blank tv and sipping his coffee. “You were gone for at least two minutes. That, Alexander, it a tragedy.”

 

“Think about how I felt a couple days ago when you were gone for, like, two days,” Alec teased, his hot breath fanning against Magnus’ neck. A small laugh bubbled out of his lips, and he glanced up at the younger man’s pout. “I had to go to sleep without you. Don’t tell anyone, but I nearly had hug your pillow.”

 

“I was shopping,” Magnus replied, trying desperately to not let the image of Alec Lightwood curled around Magnus’ pillow to sleep consume his every thought. “Christmas presents are very hard to get just right, and I am determined to get the best ones. It is what I’m known for.”

 

“Here I was thinking it was for being an incredibly powerful Warlock,” Alec replied. Magnus sipped his coffee, aware he was going to say something else. “But either way, you have competition. Not only am I determined to get you the best present ever, but last year you weren’t competing against Jace either. I hate to admit it- and if you ever tell him I said this our relationship will have to end- but he gives amazing gifts. For example, my bow and Izzy’s whip.”

 

“Alexander, I cannot believe that you are actually suggesting that that reckless blonde Shadowhunter might give better gifts than me!” His laughter was contagious, but Magnus bit his cheek. He wouldn’t laugh. “That is impossible, I’ll have you know. My gifts are always perfect. Not to mention, I am richer than him and able to portal to other countries.”

 

“Whatever you say, Magnus,” Alec teased, tapping his chin. Magnus looked up at him curiously. “Not only will Jace surprise you, but I’m going to get you a gift that dazzles you.” And before Magnus could reply and insist that his present for Alec will do the same, Alec was kissing him.

**Author's Note:**

> Day 24!
> 
> Hey guys :)
> 
> I hope you liked this fic. It's day 24- but actually the first fic I wrote for this series. And I really like it, so I hope you did too. 
> 
> Comment below and let me know what you think xx
> 
> Also- go follow my [Instagram](tagram.com/therapyfornerds/?hl=en) . I may be finished with this series but I still have quite a few fanfics I'm planning to write- lime more of the "Brooklyn 81"
> 
> Thanks for reading Xx


End file.
